Almonds are one of my favorite quick snacks as well as an easy way to add crunch and flavor to many dishes. A few years ago my thoughts on almonds changed a bit after reading Nourishing Traditions, when I was confronted with the fact that raw or roasted almonds may essentially be robbing our bodies of nutrients. Almonds are one of the foods highest in phytic acid – even more so than wheat, oatmeal, and soy. It is taught in the “traditional foods” circles that this enzyme inhibitor must be removed to aid in digestion and nutrient absorption.
After soaking almonds for the first time I was hooked.
It takes some time, though just a few minutes of active work, but the end result is a nut that not only tastes better, but is easier on the digestive system. I now soak most of the almonds that I use because I notice such a big difference in overall digestion – which to me is more important than scientific studies.
{to read more about the phytic acid content in nuts and seeds, check out Kimi from The Nourishing Gourmet’s research}
How to Properly Soak Almonds
Almonds should preferably be raw, though it is very difficult to find truly raw almonds. (something about how they are usually steam pasteurized before sale now….) If you can’t find truly raw almonds, purchase unroasted, unsalted.
1. Use a container at least twice the size of the amount of almonds you’re using. They swell to about twice the size and will soak up much of the water.
2. Cover the nuts with warm water and let sit in a warm place for about 12 hours or overnight. After about 12 hours, or in the morning, drain the water, add one teaspoon of salt per quart of almonds (presoaked quantity), and fill again with warm water to let soak for another 8-12 hours.
3. After the final salt water soak, drain the almonds and dehydrate until crisp. This may take awhile…… Use the nut setting on your dehydrator or the lowest temperature available on your oven.
4. When I first started soaking almonds I finished after dehydrating to keep them raw, but since Kimi posted that both dehydrating AND then roasting removed even more phytic acid (though studies have yet to prove how much) I’ve roasted them in the oven for 20 minutes or so which adds a nice roasted flavor to the already salted nuts.
Even the experts are unsure of how much phytic acid is removed during this process, or even if it removes enough to make it worth while, but what I do know is that I notice a difference between soaked and unsoaked almonds. So I’ll continue soaking them but not freak out should I consume an unsoaked one from time to time.
Besides snacking on crispy almonds by themselves, I like to use them in:
- Granola bars
- Chopped up on top of soaked oatmeal – and baked oatmeal
- Ground into almond meal for salmon patties or veggie rice
- Chocolate Cranberry Nut Granola
- Ground into meal for Almond Joy-ish Cookies
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I’m totally going to give this a try!
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So, do you peel them too? I read to peel them…but that takes like all day to peel them.
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donielle Reply:
November 17th, 2011 at 2:00 pm
I do not peel them – that’s to much work!
I think if I needed to use them unsoaked I’d want them peeled, but I’d buy them that way.
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Becky @Our peaceful Home Reply:
November 19th, 2011 at 3:00 pm
@donielle, I agree takes much too long. Does it make much a difference if the water is warm or not? I’ve read mixed reviews on this. I soak mine often but rarely have a warm place to keep them in. We turn our heat off downstairs at night. (I guess I could bring them upstairs where it is warm at night). But, I also keep all my raw almonds in the freezer so they area always frozen when I put them in the water and they seem to cool it off rather quickly.
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donielle Reply:
November 19th, 2011 at 3:12 pm
@Becky @Our peaceful Home, I think NT says it has to be about 100 degrees or so. I just put mine int eh oven with the lightbulb on inside and they do just fine.
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Hey, good stuff – do you know how long you can store almonds (and/or other nuts) that have been soaked and roasted in the fridge before they go bad?
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donielle Reply:
December 3rd, 2011 at 1:48 pm
@Jake, I would think multiple weeks at least. I usually toss most of them in the freezer if they aren’t used within a couple weeks.
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So I tried this last night and I don’t think I left them in the oven long enough, though they felt only when I took them out. Are they still okay to eat even though they might be a tad “squishy”? How long do you typically keep them in the oven to dry out and at what temperature?
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donielle Reply:
December 15th, 2011 at 3:39 pm
@Molly, I’d just put them back in to fully dry. You just use the lowest temp on your oven and heat until crisp. I just bite into one every couple of hours to check. They can take 6+ hours sometimes. In my dehydrator they take 24.
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If you dont have a dehydtator, how wpuld u do it w an oven? Everytime i try they turn out rock hard and awful! What am i doing wrong? Thanks!
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donielle Reply:
January 27th, 2012 at 11:18 pm
@sarah h, Hmmmm. I’ve never had that happen. You should be able to do them in an oven, just put it at the lowest temp possible for at least a few hours, stirring once or twice.
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When you soak almonds for this long they are really easy to slip out of their skins, it does take a little while but I’m willing to do it – do you know if some of the phytic acid is in the skin?
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donielle Reply:
March 5th, 2012 at 3:14 pm
@Lorie, No – they don’t come out easily!
I’ve never taken the time to do it either. I have heard that blanching them for a few seconds causes them to slide right out and I’ve thought of trying this next time – after I soak.. Then dehydrate them.
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I soaked my almonds for about a day, but when I went to empty the water, there was all of this mold at the top! Has this ever happened to you? Did I soak them too long? Should I have soaked them in the refridgerator as opposed to on our counter? I ended up sadly throwing them away.
Thanks!
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donielle Reply:
March 28th, 2012 at 3:04 pm
@Erica, Ewww! Sometimes I get a bit of white residue in the water, but never mold. I would think that maybe there was something in the jar or maybe the almonds were contaminated…… I don’t know. I have some sitting out for almost 24 hours (which is normal for me to do) and I’ve never seen actual mold.
When you try it again, I’d run hot, HOT water through the jar to sanitize it before you put the almonds and soaking water in.
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